Prawn Nebula
IC 4628 - Gum 56

IC4628

At about 6000 light-years, in the zodiacal constellation Scorpius and south of the star Antares, lays the IC4628 / Gum 56 nebula, also known as "Prawn Nebula" (because of its shape, better appreciated in pictures covering a larger field).

With a total integration time of 4 hours (48 x 5 minutes individual subframes) this image was taken in La Banderita Observatory, La Pampa, Argentina during June 2018.

The used equipment setup: Newton GSO 200 F4 with GPU Comma Corrector, Canon 600D/T3i modified and refrigerated (sensor measured and regulated temperature 0 -5°C), Astronomik CLS CCD filter, SkyWatcher NEQ6 mount, and homemade electronic focuser and anti-dew systems.

Technical data

Acquisition site La Banderita Observatory, La Pampa, Argentina
Acquisition date 6-13-2018
Instrument Newton GSO F4 200 with GPU coma corrector.
Mount Sky-Watcher NEQ6, managed by EQmod
Guide Off-Axis, with Lodestar camera
Camera Modified Canon 600D/T3i
No IR Filter (Full Spectrum mod, using Astronomik MC Clear)
Refrigerated (regulated temperature)
Camera sensor temperature -5°C (on-sensor measured and regulated)
Filter Astronomik Clip CLS CCD
Integration 48 subframes @ ISO 800, 5 minutes each (total integration time: 4 hours
Calibration 49 flats, 400 bias, 84 darks.
Resolution 1.1 arcsec/pixel
787 mm actual focal, 4.2 um x 4.2 um pixels
Native size (each tile) 5202 x 3465 pixels
Cropped size 5115 x 3354 pixels
FOV 1° 34' x 1° 1'
Image center coordinates RA: 16 h 58 min
Dec: -40° 18'
Rotation: 94°
Acquisition Maxim DL
Process PixInsight 1.8